


The Ice Cream is a Lie

by UnholyTrinity



Category: Borderlands (Video Games), Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Atlas Rhys, Jack being Jack, M/M, Mafia AU, rhys is Tired, vampire-werewolf hybrid!jack, werewolf!vaughn, will update tags as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-02 02:53:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12718179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnholyTrinity/pseuds/UnholyTrinity
Summary: Who knew going out on his day off would lead him to meeting a handsome man and his criminal empire?Rhys just wanted ice cream.





	The Ice Cream is a Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i saw a textpost on tumblr months ago about mafia storefronts and remembered how there was an ice cream one that used to be by my place and then i immediately thought of rhys and bam, this happened / this is gonna keep the game's science because i can
> 
> (this is the first time i've actually written something that /wasn't/ poetry so it's not perfect. but it WILL get better eventually. sorry if everyone's ooc, and if there's some things i missed or what have you, please tell me and i'll fix it!
> 
> \- Unholy

The late-autumn sunlight danced around the bedroom through the slightly closed curtains, giving the room a comfortable and warm glow despite the chill outside. The room was a fair size, three creamy white walls, one a soft turquoise blue with a medium sized desk full of papers, books and a sleek chrome laptop and a bookcase a couple feet away. The wall across from it held the ensuite bathroom and closet. The room was a complete mess; clothes everywhere, both dirty and clean, drawers and closet doors wide open as if the place hasn’t been cleaned in a while, when in fact it has been only a few days. The room’s occupant has been way too busy to do much of anything, especially cleaning.

The bedroom door opened slowly, revealing a bespectacled man of average height. He walked over towards the bed full of blankets and pillows, and sat on its edge. “Rhys,” he said, nudging the bundle of blankets in the middle repeatedly, “C’mon man, get up. I know it’s your day off ‘n all… but this is ridiculous.”

The man in question groaned, rolling himself and his blankets to the other side of the bed farthest from his friend. It honestly wasn’t that far, much to his disappointment. But his friend just sighed and seemingly left the room as it looked like Rhys wasn’t planning on getting up anytime soon.

Rhys blinked blearily at the wall he was facing. He’d actually been up for a few hours now; he just didn’t feel like doing anything, not even the much needed cleaning. But he supposed he’d do that later. Later being another few hours from now. Besides, it’s not like he had anything other to do besides that, even if it _was_ his off day. Not much was happening today either, it was only around lunch ti-“GAH, FUCK!” he shrieked as Vaughn hurdled himself and effectively tackled him.

“Bro, what the hell was that for?” Rhys said as he struggled to get out of his weirdly buff friend’s hold. It wasn’t really working. He couldn’t move and – yep, he’s stuck. Cooool.

“Because you need to get up, we’re losing daylight and you can’t stay cooped up doing nothing all day?” Vaughn replied, shifting his position so he was lying flat over Rhys’ back, pinning him to the bed.

“Losing daylight… Vaughn, it’s literally the middle of the day, there’s plenty of daylight.” Rhys said, trying to glare over his shoulder at his roommate without any luck.

Vaughn snickered. “Uh-huh and last I checked we’re gonna lose it ‘round 5pm. But at least it’s sorta nice out. _So_ let’s go out and get some shopping done. As in grocery shopping because have you _seen_ our fridge? It’s hella empty and I’m not sure how much longer I can take seeing it that way.”

Rhys sighed. “Fine, just get off of me.”

Vaughn whooped and quickly rolled off the bed, landing in a crouch. Before he could walk through the bedroom door, he turned halfway back to Rhys. “I’ll get the car ready while you get dressed to save on time?”

“Yeah yeah, gimme like… pff I’dunno, like 10 minutes tops?” mumbled Rhys as he slowly moved off his bed, rubbing his eyes.

“Got it, bro. Try not to die on your way to the car.” Vaughn said before turning back around to continue walking to the front door. A moment later the tired man heard the door open and click shut.

Rhys looked over at his messy closet and sighed. Well at least now he had something to do today besides cleaning. Maybe he and Vaughn could go get ice cream later. Well, more ice cream considering they’re most likely going to pick up some anyway. It’d be nice either way. He missed spending time with his best friend. Lately they’ve been too busy to hang out because of work.

Rhys moved some shirts, jackets and some sweaters around in his closet before finding his favourite sweater. It was blue and sleeveless. Sure it was chilly out, but it was also sunny enough to keep him warm. He grabbed a random pair of black pants from the floor, a shirt from the closet, and made his way to his dresser to get a pair of funky mismatched socks.

After he got them he immediately went to his bathroom to get dressed and start his daily routine that lasted approximately five and a half minutes. Just as he finished, he checked the time and swore. Rushing out the front door and locking it; he opened the passenger door and slid in the seat, buckling himself in. He looked at his friend who was staring at him with the most amused face he’s seen since a few days ago.

Vaughn stared at him for what seemed like forever before laughing and pulling the car out of their driveway, starting their journey to the grocery store. Neither of the friends spoke during their short ride to said store as they didn’t need to. It was that comfortable sort of silence.

Ten minutes later they arrived at the store, parked in one of the many, many spots.They got out of the car and walked up to the store before Rhys suddenly stopped midway.

Did they even have a grocery list?

Vaughn walked ahead of him for a few seconds before realizing his friend wasn’t with him. He turned around and walked back to Rhys’ side with a questioning look. Before he could say anything, Rhys just grinned, shrugged and continued to their destination. Vaughn followed him a second later after shrugging himself.

 

* * *

 

“Sooo,” Vaughn started, putting some lunch meat in the almost overflowing cart. “I saw a new ice cream parlour by our place called Sweet Revenge. It looks pretty interesting”

Rhys looked up from reading something on the item he was holding. His eyes wide and unblinking as he stared at Vaughn with a huge grin full of excitement. Maybe they could finally hang out normally for once.

Vaughn stared back at him, amused by Rhys’ reaction. Until, of course, his phone just had to go off and blast the Jurassic Park theme. It was his work’s ringtone. His expression went from amused to resigned before giving Rhys the ‘give me one moment’ motion, and answered his phone.

“Hello? … No I’m currently at the grocer—yeah my roommate is with me. Okay, fine… I’ll be there in a few.”

They stared at each other sadly for a few moments, wishing they had more time to just be in each other’s presence before Rhys sighed. “Sooo, you want me to finish and pay for all of our stuff so you can get back to work sooner?”

Vaughn frowned, nodding slowly. “Yeah, sorry man. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow?”

“I’m going to hold you to that, nerd!” Rhys said, poking his friend in the arm with his cybernetic hand a bit hard and possibly leaving a small bruise.

“Pff, says you! You’re also a nerd. I mean look at your _socks_!”

“My socks are _perfectly fine,_ thank you very much.”

Vaughn choked out a laugh, “Whatever you say, Rhys. I’m going to head out and call a cab, ‘kay?”

Rhys hummed in agreement. “See you later, alligator!”

“In a while, crocodile!” Vaughn said waving, and then he sped walked his way out of the grocery store, leaving his friend to his lonesome.

Rhys let out a snort and went back to getting food for their house. It took a while for him to get the rest of the stuff; which wasn’t a whole lot, but damn was everything so _elusive_ , and get it all checked out and paid for. It took him another five minutes to get it all in the car, including himself.

He started the car and looked at the time. _3:48pm_. Looking away with a slight groan, he checked the mirrors to see if any cars were going his way, then drove out of the parking lot.

On his way home, Rhys noticed it had started to get a slightly bit darker than it was a few minutes ago. Guess it really was gonna be dark out around 5pm…huh. Well how ‘bout that.

He pulled into the driveway slowly and shut the car off before slipping out to open one of the back doors and pop open the trunk. Rhys took the groceries out of the trunk and backseat, locked the car doors, pushed down the trunk door, then carried the groceries to the door and set them down to unlock it. And then he _finally_ carried them all to the kitchen in three trips and put everything away in their rightful places.

Stretching his aching arms, Rhys flopped onto the comfortable looking couch. He laid there for a few minutes before he remembered the conversation he was having with Vaughn before he had to leave to go back to work.

Riiiight, the ice cream parlour by their place….

The cybernetic man looked at the messy coffee table full of papers and takeout containers in deep thought before activating his palm interface to see how long it’d take him to get there. Apparently not that long at all.

Springing up off the couch with his wallet in hand and out the door again, he made his way to the new destination.

Six minutes later he was standing in front of the ice cream parlour. It had a beautiful sign hanging overhead bearing the parlours name surrounded by pink and yellow. And a piece of décor on the windows depicting a bowl of colourful ice cream, a strawberry milkshake and a few chocolate chip cookies on a silver platter with the words “… A Dish Best Served Cold.” Upon further inspection, it appeared the place was open, just really, _really_ empty at the moment.  

He stood there for about a few moments more just admiring the beautiful yet odd looking parlour itself before opening the door and hearing the tinkling of the bell signifying a customer.

Maybe they’d have something great, or something he never tried before. The only true way to know was to find out.

And then he walked in.


End file.
